


dial tone

by indi_go



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-02 23:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4078522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indi_go/pseuds/indi_go
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin's fingers thud impatiently against the hollow suitcase. "c'mon haru."</p>
            </blockquote>





	dial tone

**Author's Note:**

> How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. — A. A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

Rin's fingers thud impatiently against the hollow suitcase. Boarding calls for other flights echo in the background; he checks briefly, and ignores. "japan airlines flight 5840, non-stop service to hong kong..."

Dial tone still. "c'mon haru." 

On cue --

"hi." Curt.

"hey, haru. how's it going?" Rin sees Haru staring off into space, probably in his tub.

"okay -- " he pauses briefly " -- you?" The water sloshes as Haru repositions himself.

A sigh. "i thought i told you not to answer the phone while in the water! you'll destroy your phone." Another sigh, and silence.

"yeah, you did." Haru looks askance again.

Rin laughs, and looks around uncomfortably at the other nearby travelers. "i suppose it's unfair of me to ask that of you. i know you feel most comfortable in water." Haru won't respond, but Rin says it anyway. A beat, and then, "so, uh, haru, i'm calling because, uh." Rin stutters, mouth drying. "as you know, i'm moving to australia to train. and you know this too, but my plane leaves today."

"have a safe flight, rin."

"i will! but i am really calling you because -- " and a pause and a _do it rin_ in his head and "because i wanted to thank you for all you've done for me. you provided me with a true rival and a true friend as a kid, and you brought me out of the funk i was in when i came back from australia. you pushed me to places i wouldn't have found on my own. so, thank you." He chokes a bit on the end while swallowing the last unspoken words.

There’s a long pause on the other end before Haru says, "i... thank you, too. i was stuck. and it was you that propelled me forward." It's not what Rin wanted, but any emotion from Haru is a victory. Rin smiles.

"i'll see you in the water again. we'll compete in the olympics. we'll compete in the world championships. our dreams will come true. whenever you hit the pool with that spark in your eyes, i know i'll see something i'll never forget." Rin rambles, searching for words.

"yeah. we'll race again." Haru’s voice is smooth again.

"but i suppose i ought to let you go. my flight is leaving in forty minutes and we're boarding soon. good luck and i," and another pause and another _do it rin_ and another swallow and "wish you the best of luck."

"take care."

"bye." The dial tone sounds again as Rin hits end. He finishes his sentence under his breath.

"good luck. i love you."

**Author's Note:**

> This was for SASO 2015! The prompt for this round was "quotes", so someone posted that and rinharu and I had to do something. Thanks to revolving for taking a look at this!


End file.
